Despite India rejecting claims made by sections of the Bangladeshi media over incidents at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on December 20, the Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday issued a statement dismissing any pattern of broader attacks on minorities following the lynching of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh.
Mission not informed
The statement alleged that the protestors carried out their activities right outside the High Commission, and that the High Commission had not been informed in advance about the organised event.
The statement also noted New Delhi’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all Bangladeshi diplomatic posts in the country.
MEA calls claims ‘misleading’
These remarks from the Bangladeshi side come moments after the Ministry of External Affairs responded to media queries about reported demonstrations outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, stating that Bangladeshi media had propagated a “misleading” narrative.
According to the MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, 20-25 youths had gathered outside the High Commission to protest the killing of the Hindu Youth, Dipu Chandra Das, in Bangladesh and to call for the protection of minorities, but there was no attempt to breach the compound or threaten security. The demonstrators were dispersed within minutes by police, and visual evidence of the events is publicly available, Jaiswal added.
‘Suspects arrested‘
However, the Bangladesh MoFA rejected “the attempt of the Indian authorities to depict an isolated attack on a Bangladeshi citizen, who happens to belong to the Hindu community, as attacks on minorities,” emphasising that the government has already apprehended the suspects and highlighting that the intercommunal situation in Bangladesh is comparatively stable.
The statement also added that all governments in the region have a duty to protect minorities.
MoFA: Regional govts must protect minorities
“The Government of Bangladesh has promptly apprehended the suspects in this incident. The intercommunal situation in Bangladesh is better than in many other parts in South Asia. Bangladesh believes that it is the duty of all governments in the region to ensure protection of minorities in their respective countries,” the Bangladesh MoFA stated.
Jaiswal, in its statement, also reaffirmed its commitment to the safety of foreign missions under the Vienna Convention and stated that officials continue to monitor the evolving situation in Bangladesh while urging the Bangladeshi authorities to bring the perpetrators of Das’s killing to justice.
‘India continues to keep a close watch’
“India is committed to ensure the safety of foreign Missions/Posts in its territory in accordance with the Vienna Convention. India continues to keep a close watch on the evolving situation in Bangladesh. Our officials remain in touch with Bangladesh authorities and have conveyed to them our strong concerns at the attacks on minorities. We have also urged that the perpetrators of the barbaric killing of Das be brought to justice,” the MEA statement read.
(With ANI Inputs)
